American Rice

The Americas

The United States is the 4th largest exporter at $1.9 billion, behind India, Thailand, and Pakistan. Brazil, at $506 million, is the 9th largest, behind Italy and ahead of Cambodia. Also significant are Uruguay (11th at $468.9 million) and Paraguay (14th at $295 million). All added together are way behind India at $8 billion (32.6% of all exports).

United States rice production is very diverse, with major crops of both indica and japonica varieties, and a broad selection of distinct cultivars of each. The United states also has a very wide array of processing and preparation methods.

Canada, has no commercial rice production, but is testing japonica varieties. Parts of Canada are at similar latitude to Japan, Korea, and Northern China, where rice is grown.   Photo by Richard Apple distributed under license Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike v3.0 Unported.

More on Rice.

• North American Rice
• Central American Rice
• Caribbean Rice
• South American Rice

North America Rice

The United States has been a major exporter of rice since it was a British colony - and was possibly the first country to grow rice specifically for export. Carolina Gold rice is thought to have arrived around 1685, and was a major export crop well before 1776.

There are two rice growing regions in the United States, The Mississippi / Gulf coast, and the northern California Central Valley. The types of rice grown in these two regions are very different. In the South, it is long grain indica types, and in California is is medium grain japonica types. Both regions are major exporters, California primarily to Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and Turkey. The southern states export huge amounts to Mexico, and about half that much to Haiti. Other significant markets are Canada, South and Central Americas, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia.

American Basmati

American Long Grain

California Rice

Growing rice in California was started by Japanese farmers. Since all their lands were illegally seized, they re-established the industry after World War II. The focus was always on japonica type rice, the type grown in Japan. The climate of the north Central Valley wasn't good for Indica anyway.

California is also a major purveyor to the ever profitable yuppie and "health conscious" demographics, so specialty "boutique" rices are grown for those market sectors. We list a few of those here.

Botan - California This is a brand of Calrose rice bordering on "sweet rice". It is not that well thought of, particularly for making sushi. Try to get Kokuho Rose, or if you can't find it, some other brand of Calrose for sushi. On the other hand, Cooks Illustrated "America's Test Kitchen" rated Kokuho Rose low, and Botan best for sushi - but, really? Boston? Sushi? Maybe they should stick to Baked Beans. Calrose Grown in California, Australia, and parts of South America, this is a medium grain rice suitable for sushi and other Japanese, Korean and northern Chinese recipes, or practically anywhere a medium grained rice is required.   Caution:   "Calrose" once meant a specific variety which hasn't been grown since the 1970s - it is now a generic name for several varieties of California type rice. One common brand, Botan, has been widely criticized, particularly for use in sushi. One knowledgeable writer recommends Safeway brand Calrose as much better (date of post unknown), but even more recommends my favorite, Kokuho Rose. For details see our California / Japanese Rice page. Kokuho Rose A Japanese style medium grain rice developed by Koda Farms of South Dos Palos, California. I definitely prefer this rice to Calrose varieties. The photo specimens were typically 0.230 inch long and 0.105 inch wide (5.8 x 2.6 mm). For details see our California / Japanese Rice page. Note that in Los Angeles, Korean markets carry all the Japanese ingredients you might need, because Japanese markets are pretty much extinct here - the Japanese have been assimilated. Little Tokyo is now mostly Korean owned, as are most of the sushi bars. Mochi Rice   -   This is a non-specific term for Japanese sweet rice that is used to make Mochi dough, much used for sweets and deserts. It is of the Short Grain Sweet variety. Sushi Rice   -   This is not a type of rice, but a medium grain rice seasoned with rice vinegar. Quite a few sources say it is short grain / sweet rice. This is wrong - sweet rice makes very inferior sushi. In California, sushi rice will be Calrose, or preferably Kokuhu Rose. Nishiki brand is also favored for sushi. Note that one brand of Calrose, Botan, has been flagged as inferior for sushi. For details see our California / Japanese Rice page. Short Grain Sweet [Glutenous Rice]   This intensely white short grain rice is the standard type for sweet rice. Sweet rice is no sweeter than any other kind, but gets the name from being used mainly to make sweets and deserts. The photo specimens, grown in California, by Koda Farms, were 0.200 inches long by 0.107 inch wide (5.1 x 2.7 mm). A cup of this rice needs about 2-1/2 cups of water and cooks in about 25 minutes. Note that for Loatian and Issan Thai cooking, the sweet rice to use is Thai Long Grain Sweet Rice, which is quited different. California Botique Rice These are rices grown organically by the Lundberg family and a few others, tuned for the yuppie and "health conscious" markets. These can be found in Whole Foods Market and similar up-market outlets, and in some large multi-ethnic markets here in Los Angeles. Lundberg has a lot more overpriced rices, but the two listed here seem to be their flagship products. Black Japonica ® Lundberg - This is actually a dark brown and a very dark brown, almost black rice variety planted together and harvested together. The photo specimens were typically 0.240 inch long and 0.100 inch wide (7.3 x 3.0 mm). A cup of this rice needs 2 cups of water and 50 minutes cooking time. Lundberg sells this for 2021 US $4.99 / pound. Red Rice - Formerly "Wehani" ® Lundberg - A long grain aromatic rice developed primarily from basmati (though it doesn't look much like brown basmati) by the Lundberg Family in California. It has a deep reddish brown color, and when cooked has an aroma suggestive of hot buttered peanuts. The grains tend to split open lengthwise when cooked, much like wild rice does. The photo specimens were typically 0.295 inch long and 0.112 inch wide (7.5 x 2.9 mm). To cook, use 2-1/2 cups of water, bring to a boil uncovered, then cover tightly and set the burner to just a simmer for an hour. It'll still be a bit chewy, but nothing you can't manage. Lundberg sells this for 2021 US $4.99 / pound. Other vendors are still selling the Lundberg product under the name "Wehani". Colusari ® Kalustyan's - This is a very deep Burgundy red rice grown in the Sacramento Valley of California. This rice is very highly regarded by high priced gourmet chefs - it posesses the two qualities that define "gourmet" - hard to find and absurdly expensive. When I acquired it in 2014 it was sold exclusively by Indian Harvest, for 2014 US $25.96 / pound. Today it is sold by Klustyan's for 2021 US $9.99 / pound - except they don't have any (9 2021). I bought an 8oz bag from Indian Harvest 2014. A cup of this rice needs about 2-1/3 cups of water to make 3 cups in about 45 minutes. An 8 ounce package is about 1-1/3 cups, which the package says will make 6 serving - rather scant servings in my opinion - but it's a "gourmet" item. Fancy chefs can serve one tablespoon of it on an otherwise vacant white plate, artfully garnished with a single sprig of parsley, and charge plenty.

Carolina Gold / Charleston Gold

"Charleston Gold" is a restoration of the famous Carolina Gold Rice, now again grown in South Carolina by Carolina Plantation. The "Gold" comes from the appearance of rippening seed heads in the fields. Seeds were obtained from a seed bank, and carefully nurtuted into a crop. Subsequently, selective breeding of the Carolina Rice was applied to improve yield and flavor, producing the "Charleston Gold" rice variety. The photo specimens of intact grains were typically 0.280 inch long and 0.07 inch wide (7.1 x 1.8 mm). Current production has a lot of broken grains - possibly it is soft and difficult to mill, or possibly to emulate hand pounding, as was done by slaves.

Caution:   "Carolina Rice" and "Carolina Gold" (for their par boiled version) are trademarks owned by Riviana Foods, a Texas-based rice brand owner. Rice under these trademarks is an undistinguished long grain Texas rice unrelated by type, taste, appearance, or otherwise to the real Carolina Gold. The trademarks are probably the reason the real thing is now sold as "Charleston Gold".

This is a long grain type rice genetically from southern India or Indonesia, though it may have come from plantings in Madagascar. It was formerly a major export crop in South Carolina, from where much was sent to England in colonial days, then re-exported to Holland, Germany and France. After the American Revolution shipments no longer cleared through England but went direct.

Unfortunately, the growing methods used in South Carolina were heavily dependent on "Them happy darkies out thar work'n the fields an sing'n they songs. Den Damn Yankees come on down an' force'n the darkies to work for pay". Slaves from West Africa taught Carolina how to grow rice in swampy areas, but their health suffered badly from the swampy conditions. With no slaves available after the Civil War, the crop went into decline and disappeared. The last commercial crop was in 1927. Carolina Plantation is not allowed to use slave labor, so how can they claim their rice is "authentic"?

Popcorn Rice

Texmati / American Basmati

This is a hybrid of Basmati and Patna type rice, developed by RiceTec. It is sold under the brand RiceSelect which was formerly owned by RiceTec. It lacks any true Basmati characteristics, yet RiceTec tried to patent the name Basmati for it. Note that the milling is incomplete, resulting in more flavor than plain white rice. Photo specimes were 0.280 inch long by 0.085 inch width (7.1 x 2.2 mm). A cup of this rice needs 1-3/4 cups of water and cooks in 25 minutes.

Upland Rice

Today, a number of upland rice varieties are grown in North America, but not commercially. They are grown by small farmers or hobbyists for their own use. They may be African glaberrima or Asian indica varieties.   Photo by Desmanthus4food distributed under license Creative Commons Attribution Share-Alike v3.0 United States.

Wild Pecan Rice

Wild Rice - American:

This is the seed of a marsh grass native to North America (there is also a species (Z. latifolia) that grows in Manchuria). Traditionally it was harvested by Americans Indians, particularly in the Great Lakes region of the US and Canada, who thrashed it into canoes. It took several passes through the marsh because the seed heads ripened unevenly and grains dropped as soon as they were ripe (shattered). It sold at such high prices it was usually cut 4 to 1 with regular rice when used, and served only at special dinners, like Thanksgiving.

Recently, plant geneticists developed a non-shattering variety suitable for single pass harvesting and growing in commercial paddies - and the natives are not happy. California and Minnesota now provide the bulk of wild rice production from farming. Though the natural varieties are still considered superior in flavor and texture they no longer fetch so high a price. There is also now some production in Australia and Hungary. The photo specimens are of paddy grown grains. Size varies widely with the largest grains about 0.480 inch long and 0.075 inch wide (12.2 x 1.9 mm). Like regular rice, wild rice has no gluten and is safe for celiacs.

Central American Rice

Geographers consider Mexico part of North America, but in culinary terms it is much closer to Central America, so here we consider it with other Central American countries, Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama.

All the countries of Central America, Mexico included, grow some rice. Both paddy and upland cultures are used. None of these countries are at all self sufficient, so all are rice importers, mostly from the United States and Brazil, but some from Southeast Asia and elsewhere. Mexico is by far the largest export destination for the United states, at over 850,000 metric tons per year. Honduras and Nicaragua are also significant US export destinations, importing about 291,000 metric tons between them. Nicaragua and Costa Rica also import significant amounts of rice from Brazil

Nearly all the rice exported to these countries is long grain white indica rice, which is most accepted in their cuisines. Some Calrose type may also be exported to the region.

Caribbean Rice

Pretty much all rice production in the Caribban is of Long Grain indica type rice, as that is the kind that grows well in the tropics, and is the preferences of the Caribbean cuisines, but medium grain rice like Calrose is used to make rice piuddings and a few other dishes.

While all the Caribbean countries produce some rice, most of them are not self sufficient, so imported rice is important. Sources of this rice are various, but Brazil and Guyana are major suppliers.

Haiti

Dominican Republic

Barbados

Trinadad and Tobago

Cuba

Jamaica

Puerto Rico

South American Rice

Long Grain Rice

Tio Joã

This is actually a brand rather than a type, but this brand of white long grain rice is extremely popular in Brazil for the traditional Beans & Rice. It is grown in Brazil and some is exported to the United States. The photo specimens were 0.330 inch long and 0.080 inch wide (8.4 x 2.0 mm). One cup of rice takes 1-3/4 cups of water to make 3 cups cooked in about 25 minutes.

Medium Grain japonica

Upland Rice

The Upland Rice grown in Latin America is not the African kind, but was probably brought from Southeast Asia, where a great deal of upland rice is grown. Latin American upland rices are most closely related to var japonica but with some influence from var javonica. Brazil produces far and away more upland rice than the rest of Latin America combined, but it also very important in Bolivia and significant in Peru, Columbia, and Venezuela. Upland rice production has been declining, because of the heavy concentration on improving paddy rice, but recently research has shifted to improving Upland Rice. Upland rice is particularly important to rural small holders.   Photo by Neil Palmer (CIAT)distributed under license Creative Commons Attribution Share-Alike v2.0 Generic - attribution required.

Wild Rice - Amazon

These wild rice species are native to the Amazon drainage and the indigenous peoples of the region cultivated these types. Apparently cultivation has long ended, because there is no species name for a domesticated rice of this type. About 1.2% of Brazil's rice production is "Vázea" Rice. Vázea is a flooded forrest. I have not found if any of this rice is of the native species. The photo is of Oryza rufipogon from Asia. Oryza glumaepatula was long considered to be identical to the Asian wild rice, but molecular genetics found some differences.   Photo by Daderot contributed to the Public Domain.

Argentina

Bolivia

Brazil

Chile

Colombia

Ecuador

Guyana

Peru

Suriname

Venezuela